Golf carts and utility vehicles typically have steering wheels which are removable. The steering wheel may removed to be repaired or refurbished or may just be replaced with a new wheel. Other repairs to the vehicle may require removal of the steering wheel as well. The wheel must be removed from the steering column to allow the column to be removed from the chassis so that repairs can be made.
Often, steering wheels on these types of vehicles are difficult to remove from the columns. First, the base of the steering wheel is designed to fit tightly around the top portion of the steering column shaft. In some manufacturer's vehicles, a tapered column provides a tight fit with the steering shell. Also, buildup of rust or other foreign matter can make the wheel stick to the column and be difficult to remove. The maintenance personnel thus typically use hammers or other tools to dislodge the steering wheel from the steering column shaft However, these methods can cause damage to the wheel, column or shaft. These methods can also cause the wheel to fly off the shaft causing damage to the steering wheel itself or injuring the person removing the wheel or a bystander. There is therefore a need to provide an apparatus and method for removing a steering wheel from the steering column of golf carts, maintenance vehicles and the like, where the steering wheel is engaged on the steering column by a frictional fit.